Cigar smoking can be a very enjoyable experience, but there are some tips to keep in mind which make it even more enjoyable still. One of the key things to keep in mind is that you want to keep your cigar burning cool. So, we're going to be looking at a number of ways to make sure that your cigar does just that... stays burning cool. First, we'll look at how often (or rather, slowly) you should draw on your cigar. Then, we'll consider the issue of when you should ash it. Finally, we'll get a brief introduction to keeping it fresh in a humidor.

One of the first things to understand about cigar ash is the fact that its presence is important. You don't want to ash constantly, as the more ash there is, the cooler the cigar will smoke. The cooler your cigar smoke is, the less heat and harshness your throat will have to deal with. Obviously, you want to enjoy a cool, relaxing cigar, not a hot, painful, uncomfortable experience.

How long should I wait to ash my cigar? The answer to this question depends on the cigar you are smoking. Some cigars will burn hotter than others and will, therefore, require a longer ash in order to maintain a lower temperature. It will be up to you to experiment with your cigars in order to achieve the best flavor. Keep in mind that the first few draws on your cigar right after lighting it will be at a point when the embers are the hottest. Once ash builds up a bit, the temperature will be reduced, and you will then be able to experiment with the flavor of your cigar in comparison with the length of the ash.

Perhaps the best advice about knocking the ash on your cigar is to wait until it's about an inch long. Once you have this amount built up, carefully ash your cigar in your ashtray. One inch of ash offers plenty of cooling for the cigar, but anything over this length is in danger of falling with the slightest movement of your hand, the act of smoking or even a good breeze.

The time to ash should be after the ash has developed enough that it won't pull off the cherry of the cigar along with it and before it becomes so long that it falls off in the wrong places causing damage to furniture or your clothing. With a little bit of practice, you will learn to ash at the most opportune times so that you can achieve the best smoke. Soon enough, ashing your cigar will become second nature so that you can simply enjoy your smoking experience.